Sporting piece for impelling a hoop or wheel

ABSTRACT

A preferably metal bar is provided at one end with a handle and at its other end with a closed-bottom recess adapted to engage the peripheral portion of a hoop or wheel to move it over a playing surface, the device being particularly intended as a game piece for use in a contest between two or more people rolling hoops or wheels in competition with each other.

United States Patent [111 3, 04,149

[72] Inventor Andrew P. Salontai 2,577,189 12/195 l Hammett 46/220 2012 Woodstock Way, Sacrernento, Calif. 3,242,612 3/1966 Sakwa 46/220 N 2327584 FOREIGN PATENTS PP Filed p 28,1969 598,838 l960 Canada 46/220 (45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant ExaminerA. Heinz Attorney-Alexander B. Blair [54] SPORTING PIECE FOR IMPELLING A HOOP OR WHEEL 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

52 u.s.c|.... 5| lnt.Cl so FieldolSearch 46/220 ABSTRACT: A preferably metal bar is provided at one end A61! 33/02 with a handle and at its other end with a closed-bottom recess ..46/220, 1 14 d t d t n a e th peripheral portion of a hoop or wheel to move it over a la in surface, the device bein articularl [56] and intended as a ga ine pi ce for use in a contest beiyeen two oi ITED STATES PATENTS more people rolling hoops or wheels in competition with each 2,l49,960 3/l939 Heath 46/220 other.

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SPORTING PIECE FOR IMPELLING A IIOOP OR WHEEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It was the common practice some years ago for children to SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I The device comprises a straight bar, preferably of rigid metal, provided at one end with a handle. Preferably the bar is divided and diverges toward its opposite end, then turns inwardly, downwardly and transversely to provide an opentopped and closed-bottomed recess in which the periphery of the hoop or wheel might be engaged so that it might be pushed along the playing surface. The portions of the bar are turned inwardly before extending downwardly and serve to prevent the periphery of the hoop or wheel from being dislodged from the recess and moving transversely outwardly therefrom.

In a simplified modification of the invention the handle of the bar may be formed by bending the bar back upon itself to be more easily gripped and held against twisting without the provision of a separate handle. The end of the device reote from the handle is bent downwardly and then transversely and upwardly to form the recess engageable with the periphery of the wheel or hoop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a side elevation of the preferred form of the invention shown in engagement with a hoop or wheel;

FIG. 2 is a perspective of the device somewhat enlarged; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view of a simplified modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, the numeral designates a wheel or hoop, hereinafter referred to a a hoop, adapted to be rolled over a playing surface 12 which may be any surface paved or unpaved, including a grassy surface.

The present device is indicated as a whole by the numeral 14 and comprises a preferably metal body rod 16 having a handle 18 secured to its super or rear end. At the point 20, the body of the device divides to for diverging lower portions 22, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. At the lower ends of the portions 22, the device extends inwardly transversely as at 24 and thence downwardly as at 26 in parallel spaced portions connected integrally by a transverse portion 28 at their lower ends. The portions 26 and 28 form an open-topped, closedbottomed recess 30 engageable with the periphery of the hoop 10 with the latter extending slightly into the recess 30 when the device is angularly held, for example, in the position shown in FIG. 1.

A modified form of the invention is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the device is formed of an integral rod indicated as a whole by the numeral 30, which may be of uniform size from end to end. The body 32 of the rod 30 has its upper end 34 bent backwardly upon itself to form a handle instead of using a separate handle as in the form of the invention previously described. The bending of the end 34 forms a handle which is more comfortable to grip and by which the user may prevent the device from twisting in use. At the lower end of the body portion 32, the rod turns downwardly as at 36, transversely as at 38 an then upwardly as at 40, the rod portions 36, 38 and 40 forming a recess 42 in which the periphery of the hoop may slightly extend.

OPERATION One of the devices may be used by a individual as a toy or exercising device. The hoop will be monetarily supported in a vertical plane and the periphery of he hoop engaged slightly in the recess 30. The handle I8 then will be pushed forwardly to propel the hoop forwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. I. The hoop may be maintained in a rolling position by continuing pressure of the bar portion 28 against the periphery of the hoop and if the user desires to change the direction of the hoop, he will exert a slight lateral force against the hoop by causing engagement of one of the arms 26 against the side of the periphery of the hoop. When used by an individual, speed of movement is of no importance, and the user may propel the hoop at any desired speed. The device may be used by one person purely as a matter of pleasure and diversion and use of the device is an excellent exercise.

The device is particularly intended to be used as a game piece by two or more persons, or by teams of individuals, and the device may be used indoors or outdoors. Assuming that the device is used by two persons in a race, a measured course may be laid out with starting and finishing lines. The winner may be declared according to the first player to arrive at the finish line, or over any desired course lengths, the winner may be declared in accordance with the lapsed time. It also will be apparent that the device may be used'by relay teams; for example, over a circular course, two individual may propel the hoops around the course and back to the starting line, whereupon each player may turn over his pusher to his team mate to continue for another or for additional laps according to the number of teams.

The game also may be played in small or large areas which include obstacles so disposed as to require skill in avoiding such obstacles. The device makes exercising more entertaining, giving the player or players an extra incentive to perform the exercise.

The operation of the form of the device shown in FIG. 3 is identical in use with the device in FIG. I, the recess 42 receiving slightly therein the periphery of the hoop which will be propelled by the crossbar 38. In either form, an appreciable degree of care and skill will be required to maintain the periphery of the hoop in the recess 30 or 42. The form of the device shown in FIG. 2 with the inwardly extending rod portions 24 is preferred. With this device, if the periphery of the hoop slips out of the recess 30, it can be engaged against one of portions 24 to facilitate the sliding of the lower end of the device laterally of the hoop to reposition the periphery of the latter in the recess 30.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved sporting piece for impelling a hoop or wheel which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As various embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In combination with a toy hoop, a sporting piece comprising a relatively rigid rod having forward and rear ends, the latter of which is provided with a handle, a U-shaped loop, and a rod section in the form of an isosceles triangle having its vertex connected to the forward end of said rod and having a midportion of the base of said triangle spaced from the rest of said base and forming the bight of said U-shaped loop, said loop extending from said base at least at a angle measured from said vertex normal to the plane of said triangle, said U-shaped loop being the sole portion of the sporting piece that makes physical contact with the periphery of the hoop for rolling it by pushing the hoop surface with said bight. 

1. In combination with a toy hoop, a sporting piece comprising a relatively rigid rod having forward and rear ends, the latter of which is provided with a handle, a U-shaped loop, and a rod section in the form of an isosceles triangle having its vertex connected to the forward end of said rod and having a midportion of the base of said triangle spacEd from the rest of said base and forming the bight of said U-shaped loop, said loop extending from said base at least at a 90* angle measured from said vertex normal to the plane of said triangle, said U-shaped loop being the sole portion of the sporting piece that makes physical contact with the periphery of the hoop for rolling it by pushing the hoop surface with said bight. 